Nigeria’s tennis poster boy Quadri Aruna and Brazilian Hugo Calderano have withdrawn from the World Table Tennis (WTT) Contender Lagos billed to begin today at the Molade Okoya- Thomas Indoor Sports Hall, Teslim Balogun stadium, Surulere Lagos.
Daily Trust learnt that the two top seeds at the tournament withdrew a few days before the commencement of the ping pong competition.
Confirming the absence of the reigning International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Africa cup chairman during a press conference which held Tuesday, the ITTF deputy president, Waheed Oshodi said Aruna pulled out due to precautionary measures to prevent injury ahead of the Paris Olympics.
“He (Quadri Aruna) has been advised not to participate in the WTT Contender Lagos by the physio as a precautionary measure to avoid injury due to his body.
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“He is 35-year-old now, so he does not have much time remaining to win an Olympic medal. He is currently working hard with experienced Segun Toriola in preparation for the upcoming Olympics,” he said.
Lekan Fatodu of the Lagos State Sports Commission said that the tournament would provide opportunities for budding players to showcase their talents and test their strength against world players.
“As a state we are ever ready for this kind of showpiece as our home grown and budding players like Muizz Adegoke and Abdulbasit Abdulfatai are already warming up for a world event taking place right here in Lagos,” he said.
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